Manchester City Vs Lyon: Pep Guardiola side must live up to the hype of favourite

The big concern for Manchester City will be Pep Guardiola’s suspension. He won’t be on the bench for City and Mikel Arteta will be giving instructions to the players. It’s not a good way to start your new campaign in Europe, when you won’t have your brain on the bench.

Manchester City is the favourite to lift UEFA Champions League this season. Pep Guardiola’s side must live up to the hype of being a favourite as Guardiola himself also wants to gift something special to Abu Dhabi based owner Sheikh Mansour this season as the club is celebrating a decade of relationship with their new owner. It’s their dream to win UEFA Champions League and after winning three Premier League titles in last 10 years, they’re ready leap forward.

Citizens will start their new Champions League campaign at home against Olympique Lyonnais in group F fixture. They will also miss few stars because of injury but it’s hardly going to matter for brilliant Guardiola’s side. He has players in his squad who can replace anyone at any position.

Kevin De Bruyne got injured on his first outing this season and he’s considered City’s best player, but he was hardly missed in last month on the pitch. Manchester City is still undefeated after five matches in Premier League and they have only drawn once against Wolverhampton Wanderers playing away.

De Bruyne, Claudio Bravo and Sergio Aguero is out of the squad. Benjamin Mendy will also go for a late fitness test, but it’s hardly going to be a problem for the home side. Bernardo Silva has fit in De Bruyne’s role very well. Bravo is hardly a worry for them unless & until Ederson suffers a injury, and Aguero’s injury only give more time to Gabriel Jesus to play as no.9.

Raheem Sterling has started well this season and Leroy Sane may join him on the other wings as it happened against Fulham. Bernardo Silva, David Silva, and Fernandinho may start in the midfield alongside the back four of Kylie Walker, Nicolas Otamendi, Aymeric Laporte, and Fabian Delph.

The big concern for Manchester City will be Pep Guardiola’s suspension. He won’t be on the bench for City against Lyon as he’s serving his match suspension after getting red against Liverpool in last season quarterfinal.

ARTETA: That’s the aim (winning the UCL). We have a young squad, they have gained experience and we feel better prepared than previous two years. Tomorrow it starts a new competition.

His right-hand Mikel Arteta will be on the touchline for giving instructions to the player. It could be a problem for City, because they are going to start their new campaign in Europe and they won’t have their brain on the bench.

That’s where Bruno Genesio side can take advantage of City. They have a very attacking lineup with some very good players. Moussa Dembele, Bertrand Traore, Nabil Fekir, and Memphis Depay could prove too much of attack for City’s defense.

Midfielder Tanguy Ndombele was also Gaurdiola’s target in the summer and he might try to impress him once again knowing he’ll be watching him from the stands. Houssem Aouar and Lucas Tousart will have a great job to not allow Manchester City to dominate the game in the midfield. If they could manage that, they can create problem for City.

However, Manchester City have got no competition in this group considering the opposition in Lyon, Shakhtar Donetsk and Hoffenheim, but you never know someone may prove you wrong. Manchester City need to be aware of opposition threats and especially when Pep Guardiola won’t be on the touchline.